For the 2024 season, we are currently hiring an
Experienced Market Farm Manager
See below
We will also be hiring field workers for the season
after the new year.
Please check back for information in January 2024
For now:
Experienced Market Farm Manager
Our small, family run farm is seeking an experienced,
dedicated, and dynamic Farm Manager for the 2024 season,
and hopefully beyond.
The Farm
We are situated in the beautiful Selle Valley just north of Sandpoint, Idaho, a gorgeous mountain town with four season beauty, including a large freshwater lake, fantastic foraging opportunities, and world class recreation. We boast a short mosquito season, abundant fresh water, and an appreciable lack of poisonous plants and animals.
The farm is 4.5 acres fenced, and we grow intensive, no-till crops on about 2.5 of those acres, including cover-cropped plots and two high tunnels (one 25x85 fixed, one 30x72 rolling). The farm also includes a small orchard, an established asparagus patch, a small strawberry plot, and about an acre of pasture. We steward in total 15 acres, the other 10.5 of which includes our home and a beautiful, mixed mature forest that we cherish. We currently do not have any animals outside of a small flock of chickens, but do have the pasture, some fencing, and some desire to shepherd if grazed animals are an essential part of your farm life.
We have, since 2008, been exclusively selling within our small town of Sandpoint, which is about 12 miles southeast of us and about 20 minutes away by car. Our main outlets include our 35-year strong farmers market (Saturday and mid week), our local health food store, and a few small accounts. Our crops cover the standard range of a small market farm, and including but not limited to various bagged greens, bunched and storage carrots, head lettuce, bunched greens, summer fruits (tomatoes, cucumbers, etc), herbs, and sunflowers. We are not certified organic, but follow organic protocol as a minimum standard for our production. We have been no till (we do use a tilther) since we moved locations in 2017, and have spent the last few years remineralizing our soil. We are currently interested in focusing the next few growing seasons on continuing to build organic matter, foster soil life, and hone in on weed management.
The People
Our farm family includes owners/operators Emily and Tony and our two sons, currently ages 4 and 2.
Our core values are growing and sustaining community, dancing toward balanced communication, & striving for steady improvement in our systems, soil, and lives. We are very dedicated to cultivating lasting relationships with our employees and community, which is clear from our long history of positive work relations. Our interests include raising children who can identify wild mushrooms, brewing beer on pagan holidays, and trying to listen more than we talk.
Job Description
Our Farm Manager is responsible, along with the owners, for management of day-to-day work on the farm.
This includes participation in:
*weekly farm walks and time management planning
*crew training and task delegation, including but not limited to
-seedling production
-bed prep
-planting
-pruning and trellising
-mulching + weed maintenance
-disease and pest observations and control
-bed flipping
-harvest & pack management
-setting pace
-maintaining farm + tool cleanliness and care
-record keeping
The ideal candidate will be familiar with no-till methods, high intensity crop planning, drip and wobbler irrigation, paper pot transplanting, cover cropping, tarp management, best practices for sanitary harvest and processing, managing inventory, and crew management. They will have and enjoy utilizing an acute attention to detail. They will be inspired by kids who never liked vegetables before but love our carrots, and they will be humbled and awed every single time a seed germinates, no matter how many times it happens.
The farm manager will work with Emily and Tony to create and implement crop plans. There is some flexibility in crop plans, but we do have a general outline that we follow year-to year. Like all farmers, each of us have our strengths and weakness. We look forward to meeting our new manager and working together to foster each others’ skills and challenge each others growth points.
Hours and Expectations
Spring work begins in mid to late March and work continues through mid-November. Peak season hours are approximately 40 hours per week, but can sometimes stretch beyond that when necessary. We are somewhat flexible regarding farmers’ market attendance (depending on our other crew) but prefer the manager to attend our twice weekly market. Assuming that, May through mid-Oct hours are approximately Tues, Thurs, Fri 7am-5pm, Wednesday 7am-6:30pm and Saturday 7am-2pm. Depending on the year and the crew, we do have the potential for winter sales and some job opportunities throughout the winter, but those hours would be fairly limited.
Our farm is our sole income stream, and it exists at the heart of our lives. We are seeking a manager who is committed to seeing through the 2024 season at the very least. Ideally, we are looking for a person (or people) who is/are possibly interested in staying long-term. As farming tends to be extremely time intensive, we have found that our employees often become some of our closest community. While this is not expected, we are open to humans seeking co-existence in a layered relationship with our family and business. We are open to (but not exclusively seeking) families with children who are interested in sharing earth based childcare and lives that reflect the cycles of the seasons.
Experience
Qualified applicants will have at worked on market farms for multiple full seasons, at least one of which in a management role. They must have a positive attitude, clear communication skills, and find joy in this work. They must be physically prepared to work outside in all conditions, which in this climate can include rather cold, wet, hot, dry, smokey, and windy days, as well as absolutely perfect 72 degree breezy days at least once a year.
Compensation/Amenities
Compensation is hourly, and will depend on experience but will be no less than $18/hour to start. We have a few primitive housing options for folks coming from out of town, including an on-farm geodesic dome or a small cabin a few miles away. The position also includes access to all of our farm products.
Application
To apply, please send a resume and cover letter to emilyredwheelbarrow@gmail.com
